Innocence
by Xrave
Summary: Canon Anime/Manga . Sakura and Syaoran deals with everyday problems in a middle school. Fluffy, not really angsty, happy and cute.
1. Prologue

Innocence

Innocence

Foreword: This story is inspired by someone, whom, I regrettably cannot remember, who said that SxS stories are not about how epic they are, not about how one sacrifices, but about the little things, cute things, naive people, and the fluffiness. This is also inspired by ones, who complain there aren't enough canons _(Wiki Definition: noun: any material that is considered to be "genuine", or can be directly referenced as material produced by the original author or creator of a series.)_ of the CCS manga/anime. This is dedicated to you.

Prologue:

"Daisuki!" She laughed, leaping up into the air. Her eyes shone with happiness in the morning light. Cape flapping behind her the girl fell right into the boy's arms, and he spun her around to slow the momentum. Both blushed wildly as he pressed her lightly to himself. A silent moment passed between them.

When he allowed her to stand on her own a minute later, he found that the girl was already asleep, her breath warming his neck. Another fierce blush blossomed.

"Aishiteru, Sakura." He whispered to the air, looking back at the sealing gap as the inside of the tower fell back into darkness. Then, he lifted her legs with an arm bridal-style.

She's light. Syaoran thought, trying not to stare at her peaceful face, her cute lips slightly open. The girl snuggled into his chest.

With a contented sigh, the amber haired boy began to descend the staircase.

When he got to the ground, Meiling and Tomoyo were already there with Touya and Yukito beside them. Syaoran avoided their stares, and in Tomoyo's case, tried to avoid facing her camera, but it was a lost cause. She's the one with the lighter and un-sleeping package after all.

"Kawaii, Li-kun!" Tomoyo squealed softly, afraid of waking up the girl in his arms. It was a perfect Kodak moment so you can't blame her for shoving her camera in Syaoran Li's crimson face. Meiling chuckled with Yukito. The other one glared at the Chinese boy holding his sister.

The girl stirred and batted open an eyelid, only to find herself blinking an eye at a blinking red dot. _Funny, I've seen that blinking dot somewhe-_

"HOOOOOE Tomoyo-chan!" She screamed, causing Syaoran to jump and hastily dropped her to her feet. Disorientation was immediate for our card mistress.

"Syaoran!" She spun around and stumbled as the world went from horizontal to vertical, or is it from vertical to horizontal? The said boy blushed and smiled apologetically.

"If you get disoriented a little more, this tower will be crushed under your feet, Kaijuu." Touya said softly, ruffling her hair as she stumbled past him.

"Oleeei!" Sakura shouted in surprise, "Onii-chan! Yukito-san! Meiling!" She pouted as he used the hand on her head to steady her. She hastily stowed the wand behind her back.

"Kawaii Li-kun!" Tomoyo squealed again, smirking evilly, "and that was a bridal style you were carrying her too! Shame it couldn't go on for longer…"

Sakura's ears and Syaoran's face glowed. "Ohohohohoho!" Meiling sweat-dropped on the sidelines.

"… But what of my pretty footage! Sakura-chan! You must see this the next time –"

"Send a copy to me too, I'm gonna send it to Syaoran's sisters…" Meiling cut in, also smirking evilly at Syaoran's horrified face when Tomoyo answered "Sure!"

"Hooeee…" Sakura said weakly, trying to catch Touya's eyes. And then, a blurred yellow object blocked him from her sight. "KER-" She stuffed her lips in mid-gasp. That must mean –

"I knew there was something weird about the stuffed toy…" Touya said casually as Sakura spun the 'stuffed toy' around and around the room.

"I think we should go home now…" Yukito said, as the sound of people coming into the park began to resonate in the clock tower. "Or we might get caught… in rather weird costumes." Meiling finished, frowning at the state of their torn robes.

"I suppose a little more magic won't –" Sakura mumbled, taking out the deck. It was immedietly snatched from her hands by none other than Syaoran. "-onegai? We can't be caught like this." She pouted.

"No but it's not going to be you." He shot back, handing the one card less deck back to her. "Do I have your permission?"

"Yes but Syaoran-kun… You're hu-"

The guy had already thrown the card onto the magic circle and activated it with the tip of his sword. A second later, everyone in the tower disappeared. Tomoyo gasped a breath.

"Don't panic, it's Illusion… Make the way out slowly and take care not to bump each other and other people okay?"

From the nothingness, a hand found Sakura's and pulled it along. "I'm going to the park with Sakura, the effects will wear off in an hour, so be sure to get home or go somewhere that nobody can see you appear."

Grunt. Must be Touya.

"I'm going to Daidouji-san's, Syaoran, so, bye." Meiling's voice said.

"Sakura, I have something to tell you…" Syaoran sighed, pushing his swing back ever so slightly so that it swung. The girl on the other swing sighed softly, too. "You're going back to China, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately so." He glanced sideways at her to see her reaction, but her bangs hid her face from view. But the lips were curved upwards in a slight smile.

"I'll miss you…" The girl said simply, acknowledging the fact however painful it might be. "When might you be back?"

The amber eyes searched her face for sorrow, relieved when he found none. "I can promise to be back by spring break. My work is almost done in Hong Kong."

The girl's head snapped to meet his eyes. "Hontoni? (Really?)"

He smiled, "yeah…"

The girl blushed a little, and then held up a finger. "Pinky promise?"

He held her pinky in his, smiling gently. "Hai." Then, something in Sakura's pocket glowed and flashed right above the interlinking hands. A magic circle blossomed. Twin threads of gold reached down and fastened themselves around the hands, sealing the promise.

Then, it all stopped and the card fell back into Sakura's lap. "Hope, huh?"

A/N Lame ending, don't know where to stop this chapter though rolleyes

Minna-san Onegai, R&R


	2. Chapter 1

Innocence

Innocence

Foreword: This story is inspired by someone, whom, I regrettably cannot remember, who said that SxS stories are not about how epic they are, not about how one sacrifices, but about the little things, cute things, naive people, and the fluffiness. This is also inspired by ones, who complain there aren't enough canons _(Wiki Definition: noun: any material that is considered to be "genuine", or can be directly referenced as material produced by the original author or creator of a series.)_ of the CCS manga/anime. This is dedicated to you.

Disclaimer: For all chapters of this story including the previous prologue, I hereby declare that I don't own CCS.

Thank you to: AngelEmCuti chainedheart999 Twilight Kisses

**Note: this story is also canonical to the CCS Manga from this point onwards; however, please remember the last scene in the manga **_**never happened. **_**Although, Clow Card references are canonical to the anime, since it has more cards anyway.**

**Chapter 1**

**Several Months Later, Early February, Tokyo International Airport**

"I HATE YOU Syaoran!" She screamed and jumped on him, effectively knocking the air out of him as they slid a little over the marble floor. From the side and holding her precious camcorder, Tomoyo giggled.

Syaoran Li groaned in protest, or rather, tried to. "Ca-can't brea-the Sa-Sakura!" He gagged out, and the girl jumped up at once, blushing to the root of her neck. "Sorry…" She mumbled, offering a hand."

"Hontoni? I missed you _too_, Sakura. And I'm sorry the pilot can't land on time because _you_ used Dash on the plane."

"Ahh… er… sorry…" She blushed again, sweat-dropping. "I forgot to take the Dash off didn't I?"

"YES! You remembered!" Smirking, Syaoran took out a card and waved it in front of her face. He had to disengage the card from the plane without its master's permission, and without using any magic incase it shorts the plane's electrical equipments. How he managed to seal Dash back to itself? We may never know… "So lucky I was to sit in something that can go supersonic… Mind you, the boom was incredible."

Sakura huffed and decided not to talk to him for the rest of the morning. But Tomoyo's camera did reveal that her hand was in his as they blushed all the way through the car ride back to Tomoeda.

* * * * *

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura's clear voice cut through the night sky. They were at the park with Sakura swinging and Syaoran standing behind her.

"Mmh Sakura?" He replied, lightly pushing her swing back and forth.

"I'm sorry for – you know, the plane." Her head dropped an inch.

"Daijoubu nyo'. We had a good laugh over it, right?"

She shook her head slowly. "I must've still given you a lot of problems though…" Syaoran chuckled behind her and held her shoulder, leaning down to whisper.

"Aishiteru, remember? Besides, I wasn't even -"

"Demo-demo, Syao-" A soft squeeze on her shoulder stopped the rest of the sentence. A sigh was heard from the girl as she turned to look at the one behind her. "No buts, Sakura."

"Do you want to go for a fly?" She reached into her pocket and slid out the Fly card, a hopeful look on her face.

Syaoran blushed at the thought, but nodded. She laughed and then rounded the swing to take his hand. Pulling it, she led him into the bushes.

"Stand close to me, the magic circle has to take you in too. Otherwise it might not work…" She raised her amulet to start the spell.

A wand grasped in one hand, she reached out to Syaoran and pulled his blushing form right next to her. _Why does this feel like marriage…?_

Before the thought completed itself, Sakura was already at work.

"Please give me and Syaoran-kun wings, FLY!" She half-shouted, the echo lost in the sudden glow of the magic circle. But as she raised her wand, beneath the yellow star rose another –

A greenish glow of the Ba-gua Octagon expanded beneath the spinning star circle. Within it a smaller yin-yang symbol pulsed with brilliance as the card hovered above their heads, spinning.

(A/N: Concept? See Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles Tokyo Arc.)

With a bang the card exploded into being, and Sakura jumped – the circles below them have been interconnected at points which glowed with a white brilliance.

Suddenly, the circles shrunk and disappeared beneath their feet, and wings bloomed behind their backs. The wintery night immediately reclaimed the scene with silence.

"That's… unexpected?" Sakura muttered, staring at the wand in her hand and the wings on Syaoran's back.

"Mmmh, but you were trying to use Star magic with the magic of Li-clan." Syaoran flapped his wings experimentally, feeling the air swoosh around him.

Syaoran slid a hand into hers, making her jump out of her reverie. "But let's forget about that now 'kay?" The hand squeezed a little, and she was instantly flushed.

"…" She stared down at their joined hands and nodded.

A finger touched her chin and lifted it up. "Come on, Sakura, you're not embarrassed are you?" Amber eyes met with emeralds, sprinkled with reflection of stars in the heavens above.

Sakura's eyes widened, then, she closed them and shook her head ever so slightly, pink-cheeked, embarrassed. "Nah-uh, Syaoran-kun."

Soft lips brushed her cheek, and her eyes flew open.

Syaoran had already taken off with a cloud of feathers and falling leaves. Being showered with feathers, Sakura gently touched her cheek, trying to slow her own heart, pounding away. "Hooeee…"

Another cloud of feathers shot up into the sky, coupled with a screamed "Syaoran!!! Get back here!"

_-and give me a real _kiss_!_

* * * * * Syaoran's Story * * * *

I didn't know what made me kiss her. I thought as I flew over the medium-sized town/city of Tomoeda. She just looked really cute with her chin on my fingers… I blushed at the thought. Behind me a shout rang out and even before I turned my head, a fluff of feathers overtook me and then did a back flip.

My heart jumped at seeing Sakura. "Wha –" I opened my mouth to exclaim, but halted when I crashed into her. Her laugh ringing in my ears as we hugged in midair, the stars and moon sealing our happiness.

Soft lips brushed against my cheek lightly. A shiver of pleasure ran down my spine – She's kissing me! On the cheek… but KISSING me nevertheless!

Then, we held hands and continued our flight, reveling in the cool wind of the early spring

* * * * *

**Extract from Inbox at .**

_Dear Syaoran,_

_How are you? I hope you're fine over there. How's the progress for the procedures?_

_Thing's are fine here, Tomoyo made me do another movie (again) ^^" It was embarrassing as usual, but then, it was fun, too! We used the Dash this time._

_And guess what? Something really exciting happened! Yamazaki confessed to Chiharu! I thought they'd never confess to each other. I'm a little sad though… In two months they might not even end up in the same school. Tomoyo, being the great friend she is, said that she'd go where I go, but I don't want her to get into some average school because of me. I'm sure I'll mess up the math exam! And… if you come back, I don't want to … tie you down into some average school as well, Syaoran…_

_I know I know, everything will be just fine, right? But I can't help to be nervous._

_Ha, guess I ranted a little on you again. :P Sorry Syaoran._

_I have to do my homework now, write to you tomorrow kay?_

_I love you,_

_Sakura._

* * * * *

A/N that's another chapter done, it's longer than what I'd normally write, but I like it long. ^^ Please review! Even constructive flames are welcome!

I got the 'Extract' idea from Artemis Fowl series. Arigato to Eoin Colfer.


	3. Chapter 2 2a

Innocence

Disclaimer as in Chapter 1. Also, added disclaimer to chapter 1's disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic.

(this is not going anywhere near xxxHolic by the way, just borrowing a character name and background)

Chapter 2

"HOOOOOOOOOEEEE!" A drawn out exclamation echoed in the Kinomoto household. Rushed footsteps followed.

Syaoran and Touya broke off their glaring to chuckle as a blur of green and auburn flashed into the kitchen and began storming down the food after a shouted 'Ohayo!' to the picture on the mantelpiece and everyone in the vicinity.

"It's a good thing that Kaijuus don't choke." Touya smirked. A second later a foot collided with his, painfully, wiping the smirk off with a wince.

"I haven't got the time, Oniichan! Syaoran said he's picking me up this morning!" The aforementioned boy sweat-dropped.

"Then are you ready to go?" Syaoran asked sheepishly. A loud gasp of breath was heard and then –

"HOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

* * * * *

**Extract from **

_Dear Sakura,_

_Yes, it's proceeding according to plan. The elders are running it through the government at the moment. The results should be out later this month._

_And also, Sakura, there's no reason for you to worry. Everything will turn out alright, no? I remember you saying that you believed me every time I said that, and I will ask you to believe me and in yourself on this matter. Besides, I'm the happiest when I'm with you, so don't worry, okay?_

_I love you too. When was the last time you called anyhow, I wanted to tell you that in person and hear your squeal of embarrassment._

_Write back soon, or call okay? I'll be with you soon…_

_Syaoran_

* * * * *

"Class, welcome to Tomoeda Junior High. I hope you'll have a great time studying here. I am your homeroom teacher, Takachiban-sensei." The teacher spoke in front of the class. Sakura almost missed the name because she was so nervous. Luckily, the teacher turned around and wrote on the blackboard 'Ta-ka-chi-ban'.

Class has started, and as the flowers of spring blossomed, Sakura and co. found themselves back into a desk and seat.

She took a look around the classroom. A few familiar faces stood out from the unfamiliar ones – _Tomoyo-chan, Naoko-chan, Rika-chan, Akira-san, and … Syaoran-kun_.

Her face reddened slightly. Besides her Tomoyo smiled.

-

"I'll walk you home, Sakura." Syaoran whispered, ignoring a girl – _Erisa_ _was she? –_ as she smiled at him.

"Syaoran be nice! You should smile back if people smile at you."

The boy snorted. "I eint smiling back at her! She asked me out during lunch!"

A muscle tensed in Sakura's jaw. "Ano…"

"Of course I said no." He smiled at her lightly, pushing her on her blades as she fell into reverie.

"Demo – that's not a reason for you to –" She broke out. "-Ahhhey!"

An uneven edge in the road made them lose their balance, causing Syaoran to pull at one of her hands, and in one flourished movement she was pressed up against him.

"But she said things about you, as well." His voice in her ear echoed.

He released her, both faces flushed a light pink. "Arigato…"

He turned away, blushing, "'S okay, Sakura."

Then a muffled scream shattered the serene atmosphere of the quiet park-side road.

* * * * *

"Where did that come from?" Syaoran asked, a serious look on his face.

"Over there, I think… Let's go check it out, someone could be in trouble." The girl replied, nodding towards a nearby house. Then her suspicions were confirmed as a window shattered, a book tumbled out onto the sidewalk. It was splattered with blood.

Every muscle in Sakura's body froze. The boy besides her took her hand immediately.

"Well, let's." And he ran towards the source of the commotion, the auburn-haired girl following him on her blades. A mutter incantation later a sword appeared in Syaoran's hand. They didn't pause as they hurried right into the front lawn. _Holy Blood and Holy Grail._ The book read, a line of splattered blood stained the pages' edges.

_That scream – sounds like a girl's._

Someone screamed again, the high pitched wail of unmistakable pain making the very air in the vicinity tremble.

"I TOLD YOU TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH!" A voice inside shouted. They were almost at the front door-

"But I did, momm-" A quiet voice whimpered through sobs.

A high voltage crack sizzled the air as the girl's scream rang in their ears. With a standard round-house kick to the door, Syaoran and Sakura desperately ran into the house, searching –

And inside the kitchen, they found a girl, around seven, splayed on the floor as her mother raised the belt for another strike at her arm. A whimper came as the arm wooshed down before their eyes.

"Use _Shield_, SAKURA!" Syaoran shouted, and Sakura held up the wand. But before she shouted the name of the card -

-Something glowed in Sakura's pocket.

The next moment, a shimmer of a sphere of light crackled white as both the woman and the belt was thrown against the wall, and slid down silently to the floor out cold. The girl screamed, expecting pain that did not come.

Syaoran switched his sword back into the amulet and ran to the woman to check her pulse. Sakura ran to the girl, disabling Shield with a touch. A line of blood ran down her face slowly, her arm was bent in a way that was abnormal, and dried sobs wracked the girl's body.

"Everything's going to be alright." She sank down beside her body and whispered to her. An eye batted open, taking in her form, a surprised look in her eyes. Tears drifted down in torrents when the lids opened. A hand traced her shoulder lightly, in fear of causing more damage.

The girl's eye turned to the direction of the other boy, who has just run into the kitchen again, a first-aid box in hand. A tiny gasp escaped her as the form of her mother slumped against the wall entered her eyesight.

"Nobody can hurt you now." The girl whispered, tracing her cheeks with a tissue to wipe up the blood.

"It's not looking good, her shoulder's dislocated –" Syaoran began, and Sakura immediately retracted the hand on the girl's shoulder. "- and I think her arm is broken, not to mention light concussions to the head…" He drifted off, sighing as he looked at the first-aid box-of-nothing-to-mend-bones.

"Do you know how to heal, Syaoran?" Sakura asked, smiling sadly as the girl's gaze rested on her eyes. "It would save her from a lot of pain…"

He shook his head sadly, keeling down besides her. His sisters would've known what to do, being sorceresses that _can_ understand the medical books. He took an ice-pack and softly placed it over her arm. Outside, a distant siren screeched.

* * * * *

"Thank you for saving her. I can't believe a _mother_ would do something like that to her own children…" The police officer shook her head, leaning on the door of the car. Across from her, nervous as hell, stood Sakura and Syaoran.

"How did you knock her out anyways?" The officer asked, pulling out a pad. Standard crime scene investigation. At least the culprit's been caught early…

"Er… We used a pan when she wasn't concentrating." Syaoran said, trying to put on his best poker-face.

"Yeah right, like you could knock down a woman with a pan." She rolled her eyes, but took down the evidence anyways.

"Do you know the girl, Kohane Tsuruyi?"

(Yes, Wikipedia said so!)

Sakura gasped. "She's the Kohane Tsuruyi?" The police officer nodded 'yes'.

"Not really, seen her on television, right, Sakura?" He nudged her.

"Yeah… She's a true medium, they say…" She drifted off, aware that she was going off topic.

_Does that mean she has magic?_

"Well, thank you for all you've told me. I'm sure it has been a very hard day for you kids, and not many would've done what you've done. Although… I think you'll need to be present at the court should she press charges against her mother… They're going to court anyway, as this classifies under serious offense of Child-Abuse. You'll need to give testimonies… So, can any of you give me a number to tell you the time of the hearing?"

A little while later, Sakura and Syaoran watched as the police sealed up the place with yellowy tapes and cones.

"We should go visit her, Syaoran…" Sakura mumbled, grinding a wheel against the concrete. The blood-stained book lay cold and lifeless in the spring air.

"Yea… Which hospital is she being taken to, officer?" He raised his voice.

"Central."

"Thanks…"

* * * * *

A/N that's another chapter, I want to end this chapter but it's technically not over, so think of it as a break okay?

Kohane Tsuyuri (Eng: Little Feather May-Seventh) is a character of xxxHolic. She was abused by her mother, and the plotline's similar.


	4. Chapter 3 2b

Innocence

Disclaimer as in Chapter 1. Also, added disclaimer to chapter 1's disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic.

_Note: After Googling possible concussion + not sleeping facts: this is your FACT –_

_Concussion patients don't need to be awake after the event. The reason to make them so is only to check up if there is any relative change in the person after the concussion. There's no chance of sleep inducing a coma. Therefore, all keeping-the-headaching-guy-up-with-tactics is just a rouse to make a story/TV Program/Movie/whatever more interesting and hilarious._

Chapter 3 (otherwise named 2b)

"Ko-hane…" Sakura repeated numbly. The girl lying in bandages and casts lay still in front of them, her face expressionless as she slept in the drug-induced slumber. Outside, the cool spring winds blew softly in the night sky. "Poor girl, she used to be on that supernatural show that my brother watches. Apparently she's made a mistake and now everyone calls her a lair. Everyone else said that there was one spirit –" Sakura stuttered out the word "-but she said there are two. My brother keeps saying the unfairness of people. She can't be lying can she? My brother says a person can't stick to their words under pressure if what they said is a lie."

"A medium, you say, huh?" On the way here, Sakura had already informed Syaoran about her background, and needless to say, the boy was intrigued. Fahren was a medium, and her – _performances_ – were similar to that girl's. Not like those fake shows at all… yet –

"I heard they were extinct." A voice said from the hallway. "But apparently not." Lightening struck –

"Clow's aura!?" The two gasped, whirling around to see –

"ERIOL-KUN!" Sakura squealed, albeit quietly, and jumped onto the boy. Syaoran rolled his eyes and waited for the hyper female to become, well, not so hyper. "When did you come back!?"

"A few hours ago… I felt an unnaturally powerful _Shield_ aura, and I followed your auras here after I landed. I thought there had been a battle." Eriol chuckled, inclining his head at Syaoran. "I see you've come back, little descendant of mine."

Huff.

"Alright, on to business, this girl here is a medium."

Emerald eyes widened. "She is? But she has no aura…"

"Mediums' magic is so that they don't flare outwards unless they choose to, instead, they wait for spiritual flares, always listening." Eriol explained good-naturally, waving a hand so that the door swung closed behind him. "They're seers, not sorcerers. They detect but not seek. They help but not surpass the border of interference. What they see, what they detect, who they help is unknown, unheard of, unfelt of, unless you are, of course, a Medium."

"…Hoooe? Unkonwn… You mean, like… GHOSTS?" She unconsciously pulled Syaoran's hands with hers, letting one interlace into the other.

"Ghosts don't exist, not really. They are not really there, but always there." The blue-haired boy grinned an evil grin, and Syaoran scowled at him again.

"Ghosts are not there in the physical perspective, Sakura. What Hiiragizawa-kun means is that they are simply spirits of those who are there and here." Syaoran explained, toying with Sakura's hand in his semi-consciously. A blush of pink sprinkling across his cheeks.

"Yes… And the last one I have seen to be a medium is Kinomoto-san. But he doesn't have the power anymore."

"HOE?! Onii-chan's a medium!?" Sakura exclaimed, and then stuffing a hand into her mouth as the girl on the bed moved slightly. A pained moan escaped her mouth as she rolled onto her arm, which is currently in a cast. "Where… where am I?" She croaked out, rolling back to the position she was in before. Sakura's face burned with guilt as Eriol smiled.

"It's all-right. You're in a hospital now… Nobody can hurt you now, okay?" Eriol smiled the kindest smile he can, which, incidentally, is the 'Clow-Reed's Mona Lisa'-smile, showing no tooth but an evil aura.

"Okay." The girl seemed unfazed by the evil smile bestowed upon the boys face. "Where is mommy?"

Syaoran shrugged uncomfortably, "The police took her away."

"Am I going to be away from mommy? I don't want to leave mommy… Ever since dad went away…" Sakura shot Syaoran a glare at this, then smiled at the girl. "You won't alone, you know, Syaoran, Eriol and I promise you that. You won't ever be alone…" A dazed look overcame Sakura as she reminisced about the time after her mother had died – she constantly held her brother's hand, or her father's neck, for she was afraid that if she let go, just a second, she'd be alone in this world…

"Yeah…" The boy said softly, smiling sadly at the girl. "We'll be there for you, okay?"

A small sad smile graced the girl's lips, and Sakura could feel her heart breaking – This girl's never going to feel her mother's love, nor her father's…

"You have magic, don't you?" Her voice was thin, cutting through the silence.

"Yes." Eriol nodded, stepping forward and transforming his staff. "And I can relieve you of your pain, if you … accept."

"You know how to heal?" Sakura blurted out happily. "That's great Eriol-kun!"

The little girl gazed up at him with curious eyes, and nodded slightly. Smiling, Eriol reached out and stroked the girl's shoulder, and immediately something cracked as the bones righted themselves and rejoined. The girl shuddered as pain tore her body, and then calmed.

"Thanks…" She whispered, staring at her hands as a bruise lightened considerably.

"The doctors aren't going to believe this…" Syaoran muttered, shaking his head. The other boy just smiled and then touched the girl's shoulder again. "Well…"

Her eyes widened as the bruise came back full force, and the bones restored themselves to their faulty states, only a little better, seeing the look on her face as she moved the arm with difficulty. "There, I've erased all pain and damage, yet still allowed signs of damage to show through." He smirked at Syaoran, who glared back at him.

"Oh yeah… Eriol-kun…" Sakura said timidly, smiling all the same. "Have you seen Tomoyo-chan yet?"

Syaoran smiled triumphantly – that got Eriol's smirk off his face.

A/N

Gah. It's a short chapter again, is it not? At least now I am used to writing 1k+ Chapters…

I'll update really quickly if you give me 20 reviews! :D It's not too much to ask for is it? With 160 Visitors per-chapter…

REVIEW PLEASE!

X


	5. Chapter 4

Innocence

Disclaimer as in Chapter 1. Also, added disclaimer to chapter 1's disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic.

_Note: I'm not really familiar with court procedures, gomen, and researching didn't help. Also, I apologize for updating so slowly. I had a writers block and there's the exams in school. I'm sorry, guys._

Chapter 4

insert HUUUGE time-gap hereInsert your imagination during the timegap

Kohane clung to Touya as she cried silently into his shoulder. The boy smiled somewhat inwardly. _Hope the jury will see this action as a sign of the sufferings this girl's had from her mother._ He thought. _But she reminds me of Sakura sometimes, an incapability to hate people…_

Being a temporary assistant at the local lawyer's place had its advantages too, Touya thought as the lawyer shuffled paper into a folder. He caught Sakura's eye and smirked.

---

"YES SHE'S FREE!" Sakura screamed, jumping on the girl, who tried to smile weakly through her tears. Her mother had just been _stuffed_ into a car, cursing the world with a language the two girls had yet to understand.

"Even if that women's _that_ cruel to her, she still wants her in her life." Touya muttered darkly. "That's innocence for you. She doesn't want to be alone, you see…" The amber eyed boy beside him replied, not conscious of who he's talking with.

"I have a feeling that I want to protect this kid." Touya said out of the blue, and then clasped a hand over his mouth, sighing in agitation. Syaoran smirked. "Just like Sakura, eh?"

"You shut your mouth GAKI!" Touya screamed, chasing the boy around the girls.

"Touya is emotional!" Sakura said cheerfully in her sing-song voice as Kohane and Tomoyo giggled. "Tsukishiro-san always says that Kinomoto-san has a sister complex!"

"Not you too KAIIJUU'S FRIEND!!!!" Touya howled.

"C'mon, Kohane-chan, you can sleep over at my house tonight." Sakura whispered into her ear between giggles.

* * * * * (Edit: Ack I forgot to put Tomoyo in the court!) " *rewrites the sector* *gives up*

"Kinomoto-san?" Kohane whispered, pulling the quilt up to her chin and staring up at Sakura's ceiling.

"Mmh? And I told you to call me Sakura-chan, didn't I?"

The young girl nodded a little, her half-smile fading the next second. "ano -what is 'like'?"

Sakura went all-out tomato as Syaoran popped into her head.

"Ano… Tomoyo-chan said that you really like Li-kun…" She added, staring innocently.

The emerald-eyed girl smiled brightly. "I guess… liking someone, means that someone can make you happier than anyone else could – and, ano – you feel like making them feel happy as well. Does that make sense?"

"So does Li-kun make you happy?"

The blush said it all.

"Oyasumi, Kohane-chan."

"Oyasumi, and arigato… Sakura-chan…" A hand reached out and patted the bed-light off.

-

"HOOOOOEEE I'm late!" Sakura screamed, shooting up from the bed. "Why didn't you wake me up KERO-CHAN!"

"Ohayo Sakura-chan!" A small voice drifted up to her as she jumped out of bed and began to rummage through her closet for the uniform.

"Ayaaaa!" She screamed again, looking at the voice – _it can't be Sya-_

It isn't Syaoran. It's only a giggling Kohane-chan.

-__-" (- This is a emoticon)

"Ohayo Gozaimas, Kohane-chan."

She dumped on the uniform, ran a hairbrush through her hair and tore down the staircase. "Breakfast's downstairs!" She shouted over her shoulder, the little girl nodded with a faint smile.

-

"Mou, Sakura's late again?" she heard as she threw her milk down her throat. Cramming another biscuit in her mouth, she sped to the door at the speed of light.

"Syaoran! Quick we'll be late!" She shouted, ignoring the fact that the aforementioned boy is having a glaring match with Touya. "Ja ne Oni-chan!" She screamed over her shoulder as she pulled Syaoran along by the arm, skating at the speed of light.

"Sa-Sakura!" The boy choked out between breaths. "It's – 's only seven thirty!" The girl stopped dead in her track, the brakes on her skates smoking.

And he slammed into her.

"Ho-ho-ho!" A girl giggled, and a boy's chuckle sounded across the park. A familiar sound of a digital shutter closing echoed in Syaoran's ears.

"To-Tomoyo-chan!" She stuttered, unable to take her eyes away from Syaoran's amber orbs which were inches away.

The boy tore his gaze away from her emerald eyes, blushing, and pulled both of them up.

"Mmh, I'm sorry for interrupting your… occasion, my cute descendant." Eriol smirked, looking at Tomoyo's camera screen as she admired her own ability to 'capture the moment'.

"Errriool…" Syaoran growled, still pink in the face, as Sakura blushed, staring down at her shoes. She patted her clothes for dust.

-

"Sakura-chan, a family meeting is in order." Fujitaka Kinomoto's voice rang up the stairs. Thudding footsteps answered his call.

"What's going on?" She wondered to herself as she descended the staircase, Kero floating behind her out of curiosity. _And come to think of it, I didn't see Kohane-chan after dinner…_

"Did Touya finally get a girlfriend that I need to meet, Otou-san?" Sakura smirked. Even though Touya's extremely popular, he's famous for being extremely detached from the female population, preferring to rather work at random places with Yukito.

"No, Sakura-chan," Her father smiled, "it's about Kohane-chan."

"And her legal adoption papers." Touya added, shuffling some documents sprayed across the desk, which are littered with signatures. Sakura stared, then looked at the timid girl sitting uncomfortably on the sofa, looking up at her nervously. _Kohane-chan… Adoption?_

"Ayyaaaaeeee!" She screeched, jumping on the smaller girl with a smile bright enough to tan her face. "We'll be sisters!" The girl choked a little in her death grip, which she noticed.

"Gomen!" She shouted hurriedly, releasing the girl. "Daijobu?"

"It's okay, Sakura-chan." Kohane squeaked out, blushing a little. Fujitaka chuckled lightly. "Well, the agreement part is over with, Sakura, can you please sign some papers here?"

"Kaaaay."

-

"Oh we'll be cousins!" Tomoyo squealed, going starry-eyed and squashing Kohane Kinomoto with a hug. Sakura definitely got the hugging techniques from her. Kohane thought with what little brain cells that still have access to oxygen.

"Correction, Tomoyo-chan, you ARE cousins!" Sakura said exasperatedly. _Wasn't she with us at the party?_

From the sidelines, Syaoran stood more in a sober mood. Kohane's eyes met his half way through another one of Tomoyo's hugs. He beckoned towards the ceiling, and then walked up the stairs as if he was getting something.

-

"Are you sure you want this, Ts-Kinomoto-san?" He asked her, as she sat down on the makeshift bed. The girl's eyes were bright, but was there a tinge of sadness resting in the glimmer?

She nodded shakily. "Sakura-chan and her family have been so nice to me… but… I just can't get her out of my head."

"It's _your_ family now, Kinomoto-san…" The boy said gently.

"Hai… but still –" the girl zoned out in mid sentence – "She's my mother…"

Syaoran frowned. "You're too kind-hearted, Ki-"

"Call me Kohane-chan, Li-kun, please." She cut across him, the brightness in her eyes dimming a bit. "I just wish… it wouldn't turn out this way."

"Tell you what, I'll take you to see her next month, how does that sound? We need an adult with us to visit, and I think my mother would be glad to help us out." Outside, Syaoran sounded convincing, but inside, he snorted at himself. Even though Mother was coming next month, she'd be too busy for anything anyway.

The girl glanced up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah… why not?"

Leaning against the door in the hallway, Sakura smiled.

-

The month flew by. Syaoran resumed his routine of picking up Sakura on the way to school, and the messed up routine in the Kinomoto household slowly settled back into pleasant days of laughter around dinner tables.

"Has Yelan-san arrived yet?" Sakura asked one day. Syaoran jumped. "How did you know about that?"

He sighed when she just returned an innocent smile. "Alrighty, she's coming on Wednesday. You weren't supposed to know."

A flash of hurt crossed her eyes and his heart winced. "-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way – it's just… I want it to be a surprise."

The girl stuck out her tongue, continuing to skate around him in slow circles, alternating between forward and backward strokes.

"So, when are we going to the prison?"

Syaoran closed his eyes, carefully reminding himself not to say the same thing. "When Mother's free, I guess. She's going to be pretty busy."

"Oh. Well, okay."

-

Sakura and Kohane sat uncomfortably in the chair facing the


End file.
